Laura R. Kinyon of Avon has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Jewish Outreach Institute (JOI).
An active member of National Council of Jewish Women and Hadassah, Kinyon is a member of the Board and the Executive Committee of Jewish Teen Learning Connection (J-Teen Connect, previously known as Yachad), a supplemental program for Jewish high school teens in the greater Hartford area.  For the past eight years, she has been instrumental in initiating and leading JOI programs, including the Mothers Circle, the Grandparents Circle, and Love and Religion for interfaith couples. One of her most successful programs is Beyond Mothers Circle, a group for Mothers Circle alumni which she created upon completing the first Mothers Circle, now in its eighth year.
A licensed clinical social worker, Kinyon holds Masters degrees in social work and counseling/education from Washington University. She provides individual counseling, management consultation, corporate training, and clinical network development for corporations.
In announcing Kinyon’s appointment, Mitchell H. Shames, president of JOI’s board of directors, described her as “a creative, energetic individual committed to realizing the potential of our organization. She shares our belief that the future of the North American Jewish Community will be determined by the warmth, wisdom, and caring with which we welcome and engage intermarried families and unaffiliated Jews into our midst.”
Rabbi Kerry Olitzky, executive director of JOI, said Kinyon’s presence on the board is a great benefit. “Laura brings to the position a diverse background in leadership, both as a clinical social worker and a facilitator of JOI’s programs. We are confident in her ability to articulate JOI’s mission and we look forward to her continuing participation in the future of our organization.”